This invention relates to the recovery of particulate matter from vent gases. In one of its aspects this invention relates to the scrubbing of vent gases. In another of its aspects this invention relates to the overflow of floating particulate matter from the surface of the liquid level of a scrubbing vessel.
In many processes, vaporous vent streams are produced in which particulate matter is entrained to be carried out of the process. The usual approach to recovery of this particulate matter or the clearing of the vaporous vent of the particulate matter is the insertion of a means for filtering in the vent line. Although filters are efficient, they are subject to blinding with subsequent buildup of back pressure in the system and require periodic backflow or other means for removing filtered material from the filter surfaces.
I have discovered that for particulate matter such as most resinous polymeric substances that are buoyant in liquids, that a scrubbing operation with a liquid in which the particulate matter is buoyant can be used both to clear the vent gases of particulate matter and to recover the buoyant particulate matter.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for recovering particulate matter that has been entrained in a vaporous stream. It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus for returning particulate matter recovered from a vent stream to the vessel from which it was vented. It is still another object of this invention to provide apparatus for a continuous system of clearing particulate matter from a vent stream and returning the particulate matter to the vessel from which it was vented.
Other aspects, objects and the various advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading this specification and the appended claims.